Handle-arresting mechanism for coin-controlled machines



April 1, 1930. H. LARSEN ET AL 1,752,643

HANDLE ARRESTING MECHANISM FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINES Filed June 21, 1928 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS n. LARSEN, or UNION CITY, NEW JERSEYQAND CLIFTON w. NrxoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

HANDLE-ABRESTING MECHANISM FOR COIN-CONTROLLED MACHINES Application filed June 21, 1928, Serial No. 287,294, and in Great Britain July 14, 1927.

This invention relates to handle arresting mechanism for coin-controlled change making and vending machines and is particularly applicable for use in connection with the control mechanism for such machines. In the accompanying drawing we have shown our improvements, by way of example, as embodied in a control mechanism of the general construction illustrated and described in the application of Clifton W. Nixon for Letters Patent of the United States, filed June 7, 1927, Serial No. 197,075.

The main object of our invention is the provision in conjunction with the Nixon control mechanismreferred to or in connection with similar mechanism of a novel construction, of means for arresting the operating handle or similar workingpart so that such control mechanism cannot be rendered effective for operating the machine in which it is contained, until after the deposit by the prospective customer of the prescribed coin by which such control mechanism is intended to be operated.

A further object of our invention is the provision of an arresting mechanism having parts so constructed and arranged in connection with the control mechanism that the operating handle, which is to be arrested when the prescribed coin has not been deposited, will itself serve as the instrumentality for causing the withdrawal of the arresting bolt after the prescribed coin has been deposited.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a handle arresting means of this character, which will permit the repositioning of the operating handle without effecting the operation of the control mechanism and which will permit the repositioning of the control mechanism without causing the withdrawal of the arresting bolt.

The mechanism of our present invention, which has been found in practice to be highly efficient, prevents meddlesome persons from trifling with the machine and also prevents unscrupulous persons from manipulating the working parts of the machine in the hope of procuring a delivery of goods or of change without depositing the prescribed purchase C0111.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in Which:

Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of a control mechanism constructed in accordance with the disclosure of the Nixon application above referred to and embodying our handle arresting mechanism, some parts being broken away, some being shown in section and still others being shown more or less diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation and section on a reduced scale, more or less diagrammatic in character, showing the means under the control of a depressible handle for operating the control mechanism and embodying our present invention;

Fig. 3 represents a detail section and elevation, showing more clearly the character of the cam hook arm pivoted on a slide and the means controlled thereby for efli'ecting the withdrawal of the arresting bolt.

Fig. 4'represents an elevation and section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 j and V Fig. 5 represents a diagrammatical side elevation and section showingthe provision of a push-in operating handle for the control mechanism and the relation of the arresting bolt to such type of handle.

The control mechanism, which constitutes the subject matter of the application above referred to and in conjunction with which by way ofexample we have shown our handle arresting mechanism, is made in the form of carrier comprising strips 10, 11 and 12 connected by cross pieces 13 and 14 provided with shoes 15 adapted to slide on guides or rails 16. Coiled pull springs 17 connect projections 18 on the strips 10 and 12 with fixed projections 19 on suitable frame parts, whereby the carrier is retracted against an abutment block 20 which is shown as located along the inner face of easing front plate 21. The carrier may be advanced or moved from the abutment block 20 against the tension of the springs 17 by any suitable operating handle or lever. In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, we show a depressible handle 22 for this purpose, the same being movable in a vertical slot 23 in the casing front plate 21 and being mounted in a bearing block 24 which is supported for rocking movement by a pivot pin 25. A weighted arm 26 may be employed to elevate the handle after each down stroke and to maintain it in elevated position.

In the use of this form of handle the central strip 11 has pivoted thereto at 27 the end of a pull bar 28 hooked at 29 to receive the hooked end 30 of a draw bar 31 pivoted at 32 to a suitable frame part. Thron h a bell crank lever 33, pivoted to a suitab e frame part at 34 and having a lost motion connection at 35 with the bearing block 24, and a link 36 which pivotally connects the bell crank lever 33 with the draw bar 31, the down stroke of the handle causes the draw bar 31 to engage the pull bar 28 and advance the spring tensioned carrier away from the abutment block.

Associated with each of the strips 10, 11 and 12, is a coin holding unit including a head 37 and a slide 38 forming a coin-space. The coin-spaces may differ in size to accommodate different sizes of coins. Thus, with strip 10 is shown a coin-space 39 adapted to receive a dime; with strip 11 is shown a coin-space 40 adapted to receive a quarter; and with strip 12 is shown a coin-space 41 adapted to receive a half-dollar. The slides have movement relatively to their heads, be ing provided with pins 42 slidable in elonated slots 43 and having their ends 44 hircated (Fig. 2) to slide astride the cross piece 14 in grooves therein (grooves not shown). By springs 45, connecting the pins 42 with pins 46 fixed to the strips, the slides are drawn toward their heads to clamp coins in the coin-spaces, the coins being sustained by the transverse head pins 47 until clamped.

The slides carry laterally projecting pins 48 which cooperate with stop pins 49 depending from an overhead plate 50 to adjust the slides and make the coin-spaces of coin rcceiving size as the carrier is retracted against the abutment block. As the carrier is advanced from the abutment block, the tensioned slides clamp any coins reposing in the coin-spaces. The slides carry hooked draw bars 51 adapted, when the carrier moves to extreme position from the abutment block, to engage suitable parts (not shown) to which movement or power is to be imparted by the carrier. The manner in which the carrier imparts movement or power to a part arranged to receive the same is fully illustated and described in the application above referred to. In the present instance, it is deemed sufiicient to state that where a slide clamps a coin, it is thereby rendered effective, when the carrier moves to extreme position, to engage its draw bar 51 with the power or movement receiving part; and where there is no clamped coin, a slide will be ineffective for such purpose, its draw bar falling short of engagement with the part arranged to receive power or movement.

Our handle arresting mechanism in its broad aspect makes provision whereby the operating handle can be moved only limitedly when there is no coin reposing in any one of the coin-spaces, its operating stroke being confined to a movement that will advance the carrier only enough to enable any one of the slides, upon having its closing or clamping action movement checked by the presence of a coin in the coin-space, to cause thewithdrawal of the arresting means before such means can be engaged by the handle on its operating stroke. In carrying out our invention in its preferred form of construction, we attach to each slide for movement therewith a cam hook plate 52 made with an upper arm 53 and a lower arm 54 arranged on opposite sides of the cross piece 13 which is suitably reduced and rounded as at 55 for suchpnrpose, as best shown in Fig. 3. Preferably and as shown, the cam hook plates are attached at their rear ends to the slides by means of pivot studs 56 to have rocking movement. The arms 53 are slidable on the reduced portions 55 while the arms 54 serve as stops to limit rising movement. Said arms 53 protrude beyond the front end of the carrier and are received in suitable transverse openings 57 provided in the abutment block 20. Their front ends are made to form depending cam hooks 59.

Mounted within the abutment block 20, lengthwise thereof, is a rock shaft 60 carrying bell cranks 61 having hooked arms (52 adapted to cooperate with cam hooks 59 of the arms 53, and having arms 63 adapted to rest on the bottom surfaces 64: of the openings 57 so as to maintain the bell cranks in proper position to cooperate with the 'cam hook plates. Under this arrangement, the cam ooks 59 slide over the bell crank hooks 62 and fall into interlocking engagement there with as the carrier comes to rest against the abutment block, and when the carrier is advanced from the abutment block the bell cranks are actuated, raising the arms (33 from the bottom surfaces 64. The bell cranks are rigid with the shaft 60 so that the actuation of any one of them will result in rocking the shaft and hence actuating all of the bell cranks.

In the embodiment illustrated, the arresting means is shown to consist of a bolt 65 slidably arranged in a block 66 suitably supported behind the casing :t'ront 21 adjacent the slot 23 therein, it being observed thatthe bolt is thus mounted at a predetermined place which permits the handle to have limited movement downwardly before being arrested. A link 67 pivot-ally connects the bolt with one arm of a bell crank 68 mounted for rocking movement on a pivot stud 69 attached to a suitable bracket 70. The bell crank 68 has a coiled pull spring 71 attached thereto, whereby said bell crank is normally drawn into that position where the bolt will be projected to arrest the handle. lVith this arrangement the bell crank is rocked against the tension of the spring in order to effect the withdrawal of the bolt from the path of the handle; and in this connection it will be noted that the bolt has a beveled portion 7 2 facing the up stroke of the handle so that the handle during its up stroke will itself force the bolt aside and continue to its elevated position. To the other arm of the bell crank 68 is pivoted the upper end of a rod 73 whose lower portion 73 is sleeved within the socket portion 7 4 of the lifting bar 75 pivoted at 76 to the arm of one of the bell cranks 61. The end of the portion 7 3 normally rests upon the bottom of socket portion 74 so that the rod 7 3 will be raised on the lifting movement of lifting bar 75. By this arrangement, the actuation of any one of the bell cranks 61 by its cooperating cam hook plate 52 during the advancement of the carrier from the abutment block will result in withdrawing the arresting bolt from the path of the handle thereby permitting the full depressible stroke of the handle, and because of the telescoping connection between the rod 73 and the lifting bar 75 the bolt can be freely thrust aside under the up strokes of the handle without actuating the bell cranks 61 and therefore without imparting any movement to the cam hook plates and connected slides.

In operation, assuming there is no coin in any one of the coin-spaces, the slightest advancing movement of the carrier under the initial down stroke of the handle causes the slides to be released (since the pins 48 move from the stop pins 49) so that the springs 45 can draw the slides forwardly closing them 1 into the coin-spaces, and as the cam hook plates move forwardly with the slides until the handle is arrested by the bolt thereby stopping further advancement of the carrier,

there can be no actuation of the bell cranks- 61 for withdrawing the bolt. On the other hand; if a coin is reposing between the head and slide of any one of the coin holding units, then the slide of that unit being checked against moving forwardly by the coin in the coin-space, will cause its accompanying cam hook plate to actuate bell cranks 61 and therefore effect the withdrawal of the arresting bolt for the uninterrupted full depression of the handle.

' As exemplified by Way of example in Fig. 5,

advancing movement may be imparted to the carrier by means of a thrust in handle 77 instead of employing a depressible handle for this purpose, such thrust in handle being suitably mounted for reciprocation in the casing front 78 and being secured at its rear end to a post 7 9 fixed to a cross piece 80 connecting the strips 10 and 12. The handle 77 has a lug 81 secured thereto a little in advance of the arresting bolt 82 so that the handle 77 may be given a limited thrust in movement before the lug 81 thereon engages said arresting bolt 82. The construction and arrangement of parts for controlling the operation of the bolt 82 are substantially the same as what we have illustrated and described for the bolt 65.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. lVe, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we Claim is 1. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a longitudinally movable coin holding unit and operating means for moving said unit longitudinally; movable arresting means, separate from said unit, normally limiting the operation of said operating means; and means controlled by said unit, adapted to be operated on the longitudinal movement thereof, controlling the movement of said arresting means to permit full operation of said operating means.

In a coin-controlled machine provided with a longitudinally movable coin holding unit and operating means for moving said unit longitudinally; means arranged to arrest said operating means; and releasable means carried by said unit, releasable on the longitudinal movement thereof and adapted to be rendered effective by a coin, controlling the withdrawal of said arresting means.

3. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a movably mounted coin holding unit and an operating handle for the same, an arresting means normally limiting the movement of said handle; a releasable member carried by said unit, releasable upon the movement thereof; and means under the control of the releasable member arranged to be rendered effective to cause the withdrawal of said arresting means only when a coin is carri ed by said unit and engaged by said releasable member.

4. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a movably mounted unit with a coinspace and an operating handle for said unit, an arresting means, separate from said unit,

normall limiting the movement of said handle; an means including a slide which is connected to pass and close into said coinspace consequent upon the operation of the unit controlling means for causing the withdrawal of said arresting means only when a coin reposes in said coin-space to check the closing movement of said slide into said coinspace.

5. In a machine of the kind set forth, the combination with an operating element and a coin-controlled structure arranged to be actuated thereby, of means in the form of an actuable pin for arresting the movement of said operating element, and means arranged to be controlled by the movement of said coin-controlled structure for controlling the operation of said pin means to permit full operation of said operating element.

6. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a movably mounted unit with a coinspace and an operating handle for said unit, an arrcstin {:7 bolt normally limiting the movement of said handle; a slide borne by said unit; an operative connection for said bolt; said slide being adapted on the movement of said unit to be arrested by a coin in said coinspace to actuate said connection and withdraw said bolt and when there is no coin in said coin-space to close thereinto and thereby prevent the actuation of said connection.

7. In a coin-controlled machine and in combination, a movable unit with a coinspace; an operating handle for said unit; an arresting bolt for said handle; a relatively movable slide forming part of said unit and adapted on the movement thereof to be arrested by a coin in said coin-space and when there is no coin in said coin-space to move thereinto; and an operative connection for said bolt arranged to be operated by said slide to efi'ect the withdrawal of said bolt when said slide is arrested and to be inoperative when said slide moves into said coin-space.

8. In a coin-controlled machine and in combination, a movable unit with a coinspace; an operating handle for said unit; an arresting bolt for said handle; a releasable slide forming part of said unit, adapted to be released on the movement thereof and to have its releasing movement arrested by a coin in said coin-space and when there no coin in said coin-space to move thereinto; an operative connection for said bolt, arranged to be operated by said slide to client the withdrawal o'l said bolt when said slide is arrested and to be inoperative when said slide moves into said coin-space; and a loose joint incorporated in said connection to allow movement of said bolt without moving said slide and unit.

9. Ina coin-controlled machine, the combination with a coin holding unit and a. handle for moving the same, said unit including a i slide arranged to be released on movement of the unit to close against'a coin therein, of a movable bolt for arresting the movement of said handle; and means controlled by said slide for causing the withdrawal of said bolt, said means being arranged to be called into action by the movement of the unit when said slide is closed against a coin therein.

10. In a coin-controlled machine, the combination with a coin holding unit and a handle for moving the same, said unit including a slide arranged to be released on the movementof the unit to close a iinst a coin therein, of a movable bolt for arresting the movement of the handle; means controlled by said slide for causing the withdrawal of said bolt, said means being arranged to be called into ction by the movement oi? the unitwhen said slide is closed against a coin therein; and a loose joint incorporated in said slide controlled means to allow movement of said bolt without moving said slide and unit.

11. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a coin holding unit and a handle for moving the same, said unit including a slide arranged to be released on movement of the unit to close against a coin carried thereby; a bolt for arresting the movement of said handle; a cam hook plate borne by the unit and attached to said slide to be operated thereby; a rocker arranged to receive its movement from said plate; and means ar ranged to be operated by said rocker for withdrawing said bolt.

12. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a coin holding unit and a handle for moving the same, said unit including a slide adapted on movementof the unit to close against a coin carried thereby, a bolt for arresting the movement of the handle; a cam hook plate borne by the unit and attached to said slide to be operated thereby; a rocker arranged to receive movement from said plate; and means arranged to be operated by said rocker for withdrawing said bolt including a thrust rod sleeved in a socket member.

13. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a coin holding unit and a handle for moving the same, said unit including a slide adapted on movement oi": the unit to close against a coin carried thereby, a bolt for arresting the movement of said handle; a bell crank linked to said bol a spring acting to urge saidbolt into arresting position; a cam hook plate borne by said unit and attached to said slide to be operated thereby; a rocker arranged to receive movement from said plate; and a sleeve and thrust rod connection between said rocker and bell crank adapted to transmit the movement of said rocker for withdrawing said bolt and to permit movement of said bolt without operating said rocker. i

14;. The combination with a handle and a carrier arranged to be operated thereby and provided with a plurality of coin holding lilo units, each including a slide arranged on movement of the carrier to close against a coin carried by its respective unit, of a bolt normally arresting the movement of said handle; and means arranged to be operated by each slide for causing the withdrawal of said bolt.

15. The combination with a handle and a carrier arranged to be operated thereby and provided with a plurality of coin holding units, each including a slide arranged on movement of the carrier to close against a coin carried by its respective unit; a bolt normally arresting the movement of the handle; and means arranged to be operated by each slide for causing the withdrawal of said bolt, said means including a loose joint arranged to transmit movement for withdrawing said bolt while permitting said bolt to be actuated without operating said slides and carrier.

16. In combination, in a coin-controlled machine, an operating handle; a carrier arranged to be operated thereby; a bolt normally positioned to limit said handle to a movement adapted to impart only initial movement to said carrier; a plurality of units with coin spaces on the carrier, each unit including a slide arranged on initial movementof the carrier to close against a coin in its respective coin-space and whenthere is no coin in its coin-space to close thereinto; and means arranged to be operated by each slide to cause the withdrawal of said bolt when any one of said slides closes against a coin, said means being inoperative to withdraw said bolt when all of the slides close into their coin-spaces.

17. In a machine of the kind set forth, the combination with an operating element and a coin-controlled structure arranged to be actuated thereby and including a relatively movable action slide. of means for arresting the movement of said operating element, and means arranged to be controlled by said action slide for controlling the operation of said arresting means.

18. In a machine of the kind set forth, the combination with an operating element and a coin-controlled structure arranged to be actuated thereby and including a movable action slide adapted to be set by a coin, of a movable pin disposed at a point to arrest said operating element, and means arranged to be operated by said action slide, when set, to effect the withdrawal of said pin and comprising a cam piece arranged to cooperate with said slide and adapted to be actuated thereby, and an operative connection between said cam piece and said pin.

19. In a coin-controlled machine provided with a coin-controlled structure arranged to be moved longitudinally from one position to another, an operating element for moving said structure longitudinally, an actuable device under the control of the initial longitu- LOUIS H. LARSEN. CLIFTON W. NIXON. 

